Folding structure for extendible pieces of furniture



Oct. 21, 1969 P. J. m. o. SANCHEZ 3,473,492

FOLDING STRUCTURE FOR EXTENDIBLE PIECES OF FURNITURE Filld Dec. 22. 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1969 P, J, SANCHEZ 3,473,492

FOLDING STRUCTURE FOR EXTENDIBLE PIECES OF FURNITURE Filed Dec. 22, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1969 P. J. M. o. SANCHEZ FOLDING STRUCTURE FOR EXTENDIBLE PIECES OF FURNITURE Filed Dec. 22, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ENTO Iva/"d Gig/2477 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 21, 1969 3,473,492 FOLDING STRUCTURE FOR EXTENDIBLE PIECES OF FURNITURE Pascual Jose M. Oscoz Sanchez, Ibanez de Bilbao 6, Bilbao 1, Spain Filed Dec. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 692,797 Int. Cl. A47b 1/04 US. CI. 108-79 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A foldable piece of furniture comprising a housing fianged at its opposite vertical edges, a top-supporting frame movable into and out of the housing and co-operating with the housing in supporting a table top. The folding structure, in accordance with the present invention, is especially intended to serve as a support for a collapsible table top, which can form a part of an extensible table or other extendible piece of furniture.

This type of structure is mainly employed in tables, auxiliary pieces of furniture, or pieces of furniture formed by elements that can be combined, although it has been devised to provide a degree of stability similar to that provided by the structure of rigid pieces of furniture.

The structure which forms the subject of the present invention consists essentially of two vertical frameworks, one of which is fixed and can constitute the supporting element for the complex, or may form part of the structure of another piece of furniture. The other framework is movable, and is joined to the first framework in such a manner that its movement is efiected without varying its parallel relation to the first framework, from a position in which the complex is folded, where both frameworks are side by side, to the position of maximum extension.

The union between both frameworks is constituted by two frameworks articulated with respect to one another by their edges and respectively articulated to the middle part of the said main frameworks. Moreover, they are connected together by arms formed by two elements articulated to one another and at the ends of the upper parts of both frameworks.

The folding framework complex, in its position for use, provides at least four support points and makes it possible to support a table-top or any other collapsible element; in its folded position it can be covered and totally concealed by the table top or collapsible element.

Likewise the articulations can incorporate elastic means, such as springs, which store a suflicient amount of the energy provided during the action of folding so that the action of unfolding may be effected in a totally automatic form.

In order to facilitate the better understanding of this invention, in the annexed drawings which complement the present exposition, various forms of embodiment of the invention are represented; these are included merely by way of example, and are in no way limitative of the invention in question.

In the said drawings, FIGURES 1 to 3 show respectively a structure carried out in accordance with the invention in the following positions: unfolded, semi-unfolded, and completely folded.

FIGURE 4 shows a double structure in the unfolded position in a case where the invention is applied to an extendible table with two table tops.

FIGURE 5 shows a table with two table-tops supported by a structure such as that represented in FIGURE 4. FIGURE 6 shows the same table to which FIGURES 4 and 5 correspond in a completely folded position.

FIGURES 7 and 8 show in two positions a table formed by two abutting complexes.

FIGURES 9 and 10 show, in two positions, the table formed by two articulated complexes.

FIGURE 11 shows, in extended form, a table formed by three table-tops of which one is fixed.

FIGURE 12 shows the table represented in the preceding figure, but in a folded position.

FIGURES l3 and 14 show a case of the application of the invention to an extendible piece of furniture, with the structure in the semi-unfolded and totally folded positions respectively.

As is shown in FIGURES 1 to 3, the structure in accordance with the invention is formed by a fixed framework or housing 1, endowed with lateral flanges in order to form a recess in which the structure is contained when it is folded; the said fixed framework is connected, by means of a complex of two articulated frameworks or connection panels, 3' and 4, with the movable framework 2. The linking frameworks, FIGURE 4, are articulated to one another by means of the hinges 5. The framework 3 is articulated to the framework 1 by means of the hinges 6, and the framework 4 is articulated to the framework 2 by means of the hinges 7. The said articulations are situated on the middle plane, perpendicular to the plane formed by the fixed and the movable framework, which latter moves without varying the said parallel disposition.

Furthermore, the said frameworks 1 and 2 are joined by their upper parts by means of two frameworks in the form of a C, 8 and 9, which are identical, and which are articulated at their end by means of the hinges 11 and are respectively articulated by means of the hinge 12 to the framework 1, and by means of the hinges 10 to the framework 2, so that a folding frame is constituted in two halves by the articulations 11.

These articulations are endowed with elastic means and for the storage of energy, for example springs, which impel the framework 2 to become displaced in an automatic manner. Likewise, the remaining articulations may be endowed with the said means of accumulation of energy.

Consequently the movable framework 2 is connected to the fixed framework by means of articulations, arranged in accordance with horizontal and vertical axes, for which reason it cannot vary its parallel position with respect to the horizontal framework on moving, so that all its points are compelled to move following trajectories perpendicular to the plane of the said fixed framework.

Again, when the framework is completely folded, the complex of frameworks and means of union occupy a very reduced space and one which can be perfectly concealed by the tabe top that it is to support, which table top, as is shown in the following figures, is articulated at the upper edge of the fixed framework 1.

An example of practical embodiment of the invention, represented in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, shows a table with two collapsible table-tops. The said table-tops 15, are articulated to the edges of the intermediate table-top 14 which forms part of the double fixed framework 15. The movable framework 2 are narrower than the framework 13, so that, when the structure is folded, they may be contained in the recess formed by the lateral element of the double framework, and so that both complexes may be covered by the respective table top 15, as shown in FIGURE 6.

The frameworks 2 can be fitted with adjustable lower wheels in order to faciltate movement, so that on lifting the table top 15 they will automatically move without any effort on the part of the user being necessary, and likewise, the operation of folding is facilitated. The check pieces 16 fix the table top 15 in its support position.

In a variant of the embodiment of the said table, FIGURES 7 and 8 show a table formed by two separable parts, each of which is constituted by a fixed framework 17, equipped with means such as the hooks 18 to fix them in position, one abutting against the other, as shown in FIGURE 8. By means of such arrangement it is possible to use the table-tops separately, that is to say-it is possible to avail of two tables, and also it is possible to use the complex as a table with double table-top similar to that previously described.

In FIGURES 9 and 10 another variant of the table with two-table tops is shown; in this case it is constituted by two fixed frameworks 19 articulated to one another by means of the hinges 20 so that they can be used as a table in the form of an angle, such as is represented in FIGURE 9, or can be situated in such a way that one table-top forms the longitudinal continuation of the other, or the table-tops can be situated side by side.

An important application of the structure in accordance with the invention is represented in FIGURES 11 and 12. In this case, the structure is employed as an extendible means between two bodies which can be formed by other extendible structures, equal to or different from that described, or by fixed structures, such as a table, represented in the said figures, or a piece of furniture represented in FIGUR-ES 13 and 14.

In the case of FIGURES 11 and 12, the fixed part is constituted by the framework 21 which forms part of a fixed table equipped with two superimposed table-tops, of which the table-top 23 is that proper to the table and the table-top 22 is collapsible against the former table-top and is articulated to it. The movable framework 23 is constructed as an intermediate framework for a table with two table-tops, and is equiped with lower wheels in order to facilitate its movement from place to place, and is articulated to a table-top 24, constituting an extendible structure, which may be of any type, although the illustration shows that which corresponds to the invention.

FIGURE 12 shows an extendible complex abutting against the fixed table. On moving the framework 22, the central structure is unfolded. Thereupon the tabletop 22 is turned over (intermediate position 22') and the end framework is unfolded, the result being that the table is completely extended.

This case of application can, as has already been said, be extended to other types of furniture. For example, as shown in FIGURES 13 and 14, the piece of furniture 24 has abutting it two extendible complexes, each of which is equipped with two table-tops. The said piece of furniture operates as a fixed framework for the first extendible structure, and the movable framework of the latter, 27, operates as a fixed structure of the other extendible complex, whose table-top is the element 26. The table-top of the intermediate complex of each side has its table-top 25 articulated to the upper part of the edge of the table-top 26, and the latter is articulated by the same edge and 'by its lower part to the upper part of the framework 27, so that by first turning over the table-top 25 until it is situated in the position 25 on its structure, a complex of two pairs of table-tops is formed which, in the folded position, occupies a very small space.

It is evident that very many other variants of application of the same invention are possible, and particularly an infinite number of combinations with various types of folding furniture, doors and structures of other types.

The nature of the invention having been sufilciently described, as well as various examples of its practical embodiment, it only remains to be added that in the complex and parts described it is possible to introduce changes of material, form, and arrangement provided that such alterations do not imply any substantial variation in the essence or nature of the said invention.

What I claim is:

1. A foldable piece of furniture comprising a housing flanged at its opposite vertical edges, a top-supporting frame movable into or out of the housing and co-operating with the housing in supporting a table top, a pair of articulated link-frames extending between the topsupporting frame and the housing, one of the link-frames being hingedly attached in the housing at the upper end of the same between the flanges thereof and the other link-frame being pivotally attached at the top of the supporting frame, the two link-frames being pivotally connected together or a horizontal pivot and centrally between the supporting frame and the housing, a pair of panels extending between the housing and the supporting frame, one of the panels being pivotally connected to the housing by a vertical pivot at substantially the vertical center line of the housing, the second panel being similarly pivotally attached to the supporting frame at substantially the center thereof, the panels being pivotally joined together by a vertically arranged pivot, the housing and the supporting frame each having an opening into which the respective panels fit when the link-frames and the panels are collapsed within the housing on their connecting pivots.

2. A foldable piece of furniture according to claim 1. wherein the vertical flanged side members of the housing are substantially I-shaped in cross section, and the housing is provided with the arrangement of frame links, foldable panels and supporting frame on both sides of the housing.

3. A foldable piece of furniture according to claim 1. including a table top, the table top including a strip portion attached to and disposed horizontally of the top of the housing, a top panel hinged to an edge of the strip portion and arranged for either horizontal or vertical disposition, the same when horizontally disposed. resting on the supporting frame and when vertically disposed closing one side of the housing and covering the link-frames, and the supporting frame then in the housing.

4. A foldable piece of furniture according to claim 1, including a table top having a central strip portion that is attached over the top part of the housing, wings pivotally attached to opposite edges of the strip portion, said wings being supported horizontally on the supporting frames when said frames are extended away from the housing, and the wings when vertically hung from their pivots serving to cover both sides of the housing and cover the various link-panels, connection panels and supporting frames then disposed in the housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 670,845 3/1901 Conklin 108-79 1,472,575 10/1923 Anderson 108-79 2,004,296 6/1935 Boyce l0878 XR 2,535,646 12/1950 Medwin 108-63 2,534,890 12/1950 Watts 108-79 2,890,089 6/1959 Sanchez 10879 3,029,114 4/1962 Sanchez 10879 3,330,226 7/1967 Mautner 108--79 XR 3,188,158 6/1965 Sanchez l0838 XR BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner 

